Realtors are experts in the field of buying and selling homes, so they know exactly what they want when it comes to searching for a home of their own. While there’s a lot of personal preference that goes into searching for a home, realtors still have valuable insight when it comes to choosing a house that you’ll actually enjoy, not one that just seems good in the moment. These are only a few of the tips that realtors have when it comes to searching for a quality home. In addition to these tips below, check out some more, straight from realtors, here.
Something Long-term
When looking for a home, realtors advise that you look for something long-term that will be your home for years to come. Purchasing a home is a big decision and a large investment, so it’s important to choose a home that you can see fitting your needs ten or twenty years down the road. The longer you hold onto a home, the more likely its value will increase and you’ll one day receive your investment, and more, back.
Noise Levels
Some people will only visit a potential home a handful of times before deciding to purchase it, or they’ll always visit the neighborhood at the same time of day. It’s valuable to visit at various times throughout the day and week and look up if any public transportation routes go by your home in order to get an idea of whether or not there will be distracting noises. You can talk to neighbors and look at reviews of the area to see how quiet or noisy the neighborhood is.
Amount of Privacy
It’s important to get a sense of what the property looks like throughout the year as well. Your agent should know the answer to this question, and if they don’t, see if the sellers will tell you or if you can find pictures online. A home may have a nice hedge around it, but does that remain during the fall and winter? Decide how much privacy is right for you, and then find homes that cater to your preference.
Sense of Trust
Realtors themselves recognize and talk about the importance of finding an agent that you can trust. If you don’t feel at ease with your realtor, you probably shouldn’t trust him or her to help you find your dream home for a decent price. You need an agent who you can tell your price range and preferences and know that she’ll deliver.
Polite Sellers
A huge turn-off to purchasing a home can be sellers who are rude or unhelpful toward potential buyers. If you interact with the seller and they won’t answer questions or are straight out rude toward you, it may indicate that you should consider a different home. We’ve all heard horror stories of sellers backing out at the last minute or hiding some serious issue with the home from a potential buyer, so find sellers who are friendly and open to discussing the property with you.
Small Details
A final tip realtors have when looking for a home is to keep an eye out for the small details. When touring a home, look around carefully to see if there are any issues that you’d have to fix after purchasing the home. These little details can also indicate how well a home was taken care of; if small touches have been added, it shows that the previous owners cared for their house and took good care of it.
About Michael Leafer
Michael Leafer is a real estate expert based in the Boston area. As the founder and operating director of Leaf Management, Michael enjoys sharing his insights on the industry with others on his various websites and blogs.